The present invention relates generally to warning devices for mounting onto vehicles to provide the vehicle operator with a visible reminder, warning, or notification of a danger or potential danger situation. More particularly, the present invention relates to a wind-actuated sign which mounts onto the vehicle to alert or warn the operator of a condition which requires a response from the operator.
Many vehicles, especially motor vehicles such as automobiles, motor homes, trucks and trailers, either carry additional loads on the roof-top which present a high-profile or have a permanent highprofile created by the height of the truck or trailer. For example, many automobile drivers carry luggage racks or car top carriers for mounting bicycles, boats, skis, or other items for carriage. The mounting of these additional items onto the roof of the motor vehicle results in the motor vehicle obtaining a higher profile. Additionally, may drivers rent moving trailers or motor homes which have a permanent higher profile than the driver's automobile.
The higher profile of the vehicle is often times an unusual condition for the vehicle operator and presents a potential danger for collision with overhead obstructions, such as the top of an underpass, the roof of a gasoline station, the top of a garage doorway, etc. Of course, damage will usually result to the vehicle or to the items being carried on top of the motor vehicle which may collide with the obstruction.
Various types of warning devices for mounting onto motor vehicles are known in the prior art. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 3,141,253, issued to Bartram in 1964, discloses an automobile driver signalling device which consists of a mounting plate to mount the device onto a vehicle dashboard. A sign or other indicator is pivotally mounted to the end of a stem or upstanding stalk. The upstanding stalk is, in turn, pivotally mounted to a base member secured to the vehicle dashboard. The sign or other indicator is pivotally mounted onto the stalk and may be fitted with a coil spring to facilitate the driver raising or lowering of the sign. The principal disadvantage of this device is that it requires the driver to actuate the device. This causes the driver to have a momentary inattention to the driver's responsibilities for operating the vehicle. The device also is a permanent fixture on the vehicle dashboard which tends to obstruct the driver's view during operation of the vehicle.
Similarly, U.S. Pat. No. 3,237,330, issued to Dinstbir in 1966, also discloses a dashboard-mounted warning device which consists of a suction cup base and a sign which is rotatably mounted in a bore or recess in the suction cup base. Like the Bartram patent, this device is a dashboard-mounted device, and suffers from the same disadvantages noted above. As with many suction cup devices, the mounting is unstable and the sign may often times fall off the dashboard when the suction or vacuum is lost and the suction cup releases. Release of the device from the dashboard will divert the driver's attention from the road and possibly endanger the driver or other drivers.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,678,456, issued to Gruber in 1972, discloses a vehicle-mounted warning device which consists of a spring-loaded telescoping arm mounted in the trunk fender with a remote linkage to the driver position. The telescoping arm has two elements which are movable relative to each other, one element being fixed to the vehicle and the other element being moveable between a retracted and extended display position. Movement of the telescoping arm is actuated by a spring which extends the telescoping arm to provide a warning signal, such as a warning flag to evidence that the vehicle is in motion. The spring may be deployed via actuation of the remote control linkage by the driver. While this type of warning device is instrumental for others viewing the movement of the vehicle, it does not provide for any consistent warning to the vehicle operator that the vehicle is carrying a load which renders the vehicle a high profile vehicle and susceptible to collision with overhead obstructions.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,703,152, issued to Morton in 1972, discloses a distress signalling device which has a storage housing for storing a triangular-shaped and foldable distress signal. One element of the foldable signal is a hook which is provided on the housing to mount the device onto a vertically-adjustable window of the vehicle. In its deployed condition, the device projects laterally from the window of the motor vehicle to provide warning to approaching vehicles of the stalled or distressed condition of the motor vehicle. The device of this patent would not be suitable for a warning to the driver of the distressed vehicle of a high profile load condition during operation of the motor vehicle.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,769,931, issued to Babut, et al., in 1973, discloses a low overhead warning signal device which is mounted on the front of a truck cab. The signal device consists of a steel rod which extends upwardly from a support arm mounted to the truck cab. The upper end of the steel rod supports a feeler wire which extends above the top of the truck body, and is deflected upon encountering an overhead obstruction to emit a rubbing sound to warn of the obstruction. While this type of system provides the necessary warning upon encountering an obstruction, it would not adequately serve to remind the driver on a continual basis of the high profile condition of an ordinary automobile.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,132,022, issued to Wood, Jr. in 1979, discloses a dashboard-mounted sign to remind the driver in accordance with a message carried on the device. The device mounts on the dashboard and reflects an inversely-written message upwardly onto the inside of a windshield for viewing and reading by the driver. The principal disadvantage of this sign is that it provides a constant reflection on the windshield which would be a distraction to the driver and is not removed from the field of view during operation of the vehicle at normal speeds. Moreover, varying angles of windshield position would alter the relative position of the reflection on the windshield and the reflection may or may not be in an optimal position for viewing the field of operation for the motor vehicle.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,783,352, issued to Kaiser, Jr. in 1988, discloses a hood-mounted thermometer which is placed on the vehicle hood in the field of vision of the driver. The device is meant to be permanently mounted, either by gluing or by bolting onto the hood of the vehicle. This device is illustrative of types of hoodmounted ornaments or functional indicators which are mounted external to the driver's cabin, on the hood of the vehicle.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,827,646, issued to Miller, et al. in 1989, discloses a vehicle sign device which provides a variable height support structure adjustable by a scissor action. The device is meant to carry a removable and interchangeable message card and coupled to the interior window sill of a motor vehicle for extension and retraction to carry messages, such as sales messages. This type of sign is not suitable for mounting in the driver's field of view, nor could it be used exterior to the passenger compartment during operation of the motor vehicle.
Finally, U.S. Pat. No. 4,888,893, issued to Jones in 1989, discloses a vehicle distress sign which consists of a base member fitted with a magnet to mount onto an automobile, the base having a plurality of upstanding support members each fitted with one-half of a hook and loop material. A distress sign, such as "out of gas" is provided with a corresponding other half of the hook and loop material. In use, the user mounts the magnetic base onto the motor vehicle and then mounts the warning sign onto the upstanding support members by engaging the hook and loop material. While this patent illustrates a type of removable magnetic sign, the construction of it would not permit its use on the hood of a motor vehicle while the motor vehicle is being operated at normal speeds to warn of a high profile or of potential obstruction conditions.
From the foregoing, those skilled in the art will appreciate that there are no wind-actuated warning devices which are easily adaptable for removable mounting onto the vehicle within the operator's field of vision, which are in a collapsed or a closed condition during normal speed operation of the vehicle, but which, upon slowing of the vehicle and reduction of a wind load on the sign, open to provide the vehicle operator a warning of a vehicular condition which requires the operator to exert special attention and respond to the condition, such as a high profile condition for the motor vehicle. For example, a high profile condition warning reminds the driver that the driver is operating a high profile vehicle and to take heed of any overhead obstructions which may serve to damage the vehicle or items being carried in the overhead load.
It is known in the art to provide various types of spring- or bias-loaded signs which are capable of receiving a wind load and deflecting and returning to an unbiased upstanding position upon reduction of the wind load. Examples of such signage are found in U.S. Pat. No. 3,646,696, issued to Sarkisian on Mar. 7, 1972, U.S. Pat. No. Re. 32,359, issued to Seely in 1987, and U.S. Pat. No. 4,783,921, issued to George in 1988. Each of the foregoing relate to either portable or permanent-mounted signs which have either a flexible sign material or which have a spring mounting to receive the deflection of the supported sign under a wind load. None of these patents are readily adaptable to nor are suggested to have utility in mounting directly onto an automobile hood.
Accordingly, there has been recognized a need for a removably mountable wind-actuated warning sign capable of being mounted onto a vehicle within the field of vision of the motor vehicle operator. Optimally, the device would have a low profile in its closed or retracted position so that there is a minimal obstruction of the driver's field of vision at normal vehicle speeds, such as over approximately 15 m.p.h. However, when the vehicle slows to approximately less than 15 m.p.h, the wind load on the sign decreases and the sign is returned to an unbiased raised or deployed position whereby the driver would be reminded of vehicular condition which requires the driver to exert special attention to the stated condition, such as a high profile condition of the motor vehicle.